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US HOPES RUSSIA WILL KEEP LETTING ISRAEL HIT IRAN IN SYRIA

The United States said on Wednesday it hoped Russia would continue to allow Israel to strike Iranian targets in Syria، despite Moscow’s supply of the S-300 air defense system to the Syrian government، as the Jerusalem Post said.“Russia has been permissive، in consultation with the Israelis، about Israeli strikes against Iranian targets inside Syria. We certainly hope that that permissive approach will continue،” Ambassador James Jeffrey، Washington’s Syria envoy، said in a conference call with reporters.He explained that aside from the Russian military actions in Syria، “You’ve got four other outside military forces – the Israeli، the Turkish، the Iranian and the American – all operating inside Syria right now. It’s a dangerous situation،” Jeffrey said.Moscow said in October that it had delivered the S-300 surface-to-air missiles after it accused Israel of indirectly causing the downing of a Russian military jet by Syrian air defenses following an Israeli air strike nearby.Like Russia، Iran is a key military supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Israel regards Iran as its most dangerous enemy and has staged repeated air raids against its military and allied militias deployed in Syria.“Israel has an existential interest in blocking Iran from deploying long-range power projection systems... inside Syria to be used against Israel. We understand the existential interest and we support Israel،” Jeffrey said.The downing of the Russian jet in September underscored the risks attached to the presence of numerous foreign militaries operating in proximity in Syria، he added.